San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-20
AGENTS FOX THE LIGHT.
TUESDAY. DECEMBER, 20, 1887.
SHERMAN ON SURPLUS.

The democracy give no sign OF having
any plan OF dealing with the surplus.
Thie lie natural. They never created
one, and having fallen heir by some
mysterious process to the surplus crea-
ted by republican forethOught and prov
ident craftsmanship, they do not know
what to do with it. They are so little
accustomed to considering question OF
surplus that they cannot even agree as
to It's volume. and the representations
made by no two cabine; officers agree as
to the amount Of surplus present reven-
ues will create. This much only lie GER
tain. The tressurer's report modifies the
scare In the message very materially and
gives the oour try assurance that mat
tiers are not nearly so bad actually az
they were represented to be- by the mes
sage, for political fleet.
1t grows more and more obvious that
oil propositions. that is feasible and
wise propositions. for the adjustment of
revenue and expenditure must come
from the republican party. II is there
fore OF no little importance to ascertain
what they propose to do and see no "
far IL is likely to meet the difficulties Of
the situation and satisfy the intelligent
criticism Of the public mind.
James g. Blaine has already given
partial expression TO his views upon
questions Of internal revenue arising
from the imposition OF the old war taxes
upon tobacco and liquors. Mr. Sherman,
now In the senate chamber, has not been
silent concerning this subject and his
Views may be brit fly summed up as em-
bracing the two means of reduction and
expenditure. He would reduce revenue
and Increase expenditures In certain di-
rections. To accomplish the first, re-
duce revenue. he would remove the TO.
bsocO tax RS would also Mr. Il aine. He
would reduce the duty on sugar and pay
bounty for lie production. As the con-
sumption OF sugar over production Is az
ten TO one, great saving would
be effected by reducing the pres
emit 'uty one half and paying
an quail amount IN bounty to home
sugar growers. This would reduce
revenue al least SIS 100000, give US
cheaper sugar the whole country over.
and give the sugar growers of America
the same protection that they now re-
ceiVe.
In the way OF Increased expenditure
the OHIO statesman would pay liberal
subsidy to American steamships for
carrying our malls TO foreign countries
His prop sltiOn is for sixty cents per
ton burden, a very LIBERAL PROPOSE
lion and one which could not but great
ly stimulate American commerce and
supercede in very large measure the
carrying OF our products to foreign
markets In English and German ships
This plan also Involves liberal spprO 1ri-
ations for navy and coast defences,
and the Improvement OF our
great waterways. 1t Is also pro-
posed to divide among the
states according to population the un-
expended balance Of the $4,000 100 pro.
vided for In 1887. : will be remembered
shat TWO install hents were paid when
the law was changed The states would
thus become benehcl4ries. The direct
tax upon the states levied In 1861
amounting to Sl7OOO,OJO was never paid
by the southern states and Is still held
rs debt against hem. 1t Is proposed
to absolve the southern states flom this
obligation and Return to the northern
states what they have paid.
By this measure there would be no
difficulty iin reducing surplus-by re-
dueing taxes on tobacco and sugar, and
putting upon the free list all articles not
produced in this country. The expendi-
lures would be increased, only to aid
American commerce and put our navy
and coast defences in condition. 1t is
quite probable that the republicans In
congress will very generally unite upon
some such plan as that outlined by Sen
ator Sherman, but what tn democrats
will do 10 the way OF blocking such leg
ialatlOn the close Of the session can only
dstermine.